Murder Your Love
by Goldberry
Summary: AU. Two opposing sides in a city marked by boundaries. Crossing the line between them will take everything they have. [NejiTen, SasuSaku]
1. ACT I

_Author's Notes: Ah, here I am again, and this time I bring AU in it's craziest form. This story is a Naruto crossover with the play/movie of "West Side Story". If you've never seen the play or watched the movie, you'll be perfectly fine. If you have, then you know how utterly insane I must be to even attempt this. The entire story has been complete for quite awhile but has only been available to vistors to my Livejournal. Now I've decided to torture you all as well. :)_

_Premise:_ _Two gangs control a city. One, the Falcons, is headed by Hyuuga Neji. The other, the Lions, is led by Naruto. Dealings between the two are short and usually bloody as they attempt to gain control of more area and drive the other out. _

_If you know me at all, you'll be able to guess the pairings. NejiTen, SasuSaku, and the barest of NaruHina. I hope this enjoy their foray into fun. I wrote this merely to amuse myself and I hope you find it just as entertaining as I did. Good readings._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, the characters, or any plotpoints belonging to "West Side Story". This is merely for fun._

**ACT I**  
**Scene I**

There was really nothing better than standing on the corner of West and Third at midnight, surveying the wet pavement and dry stars over Konoha like a king overlooking his domain. The city was quiet at that time of night, the hard-working citizens of the day having long retired with the knowledge that they would be up again when the sun rose. They knew nothing of the secret life lived in the shadows of the old buildings downtown, quick knives in the dark and fistfights in the streets.

Hyuuga Neji knew it, had lived and breathed it ever since he had set foot on the cracked sidewalk he had thought would lead him to his fate. He'd been wrong, of course, but that hadn't bothered him. He was a man who _made_ his destiny, even if he paid for it in blood.

Looking out through the hazy summer air, he could quietly appreciate that it had rained only an hour ago and the Lions would be coming out of their caves, roaring with indignation that he had dared to step onto their territory. Neji smirked coldly and leaned back against the brick wall of the old gym, camouflaged by his black button-up shirt and the easy darkness that seeped into everything on this side of town.

He had had a feeling that evening that something would happen, a tightening in his bones that spoke of unease. There was an energy in the air that settled between his shoulders and made his muscles tense in anticipation. Something was going down and it was going to happen here, where the land of Lions and Falcons met.

Where Hyuuga Neji was standing purposefully on the wrong side.

He saw them coming long before they say him, his eyes burning a pearly white in the black. Uzumaki was the first to notice his presence and he growled under his breath in perfect imitation of his gang's namesake.

"Hyuuga."

Neji straightened, his voice perfectly flat. "Uzumaki."

Naruto scowled. "What are you doing here, Neji? I thought you knew better than to start something."

Neji turned his head away slightly, just enough to give Naruto the impression that he wasn't really looking at him. Which he wasn't. Neji never had to actually _look_ at someone in order to see them, a fact that never failed to make Naruto simmer.

"I heard you harassed Hinata this afternoon." He took a step away from the wall. "That's low even for a Lion."

For a moment, there was a flash of surprise in Naruto's blue eyes and he pressed his lips together in a thin line. Then the look was gone, replaced by a reserve Neji took to mean that he had had no idea that any of his group had spoken to Hinata. The Hyuuga noted that information for later. If Uzumaki was losing his grip, perhaps it would not be so hard to defeat him once and for all.

"What do you want, Hyuuga?" Naruto asked, his voice on the edge of grumbling power. "You're on my territory and it's been a long day. I could use a little fun." He grinned then, the old flair coming back into his stance. Neji smirked.

"I want you gone, but I'll settle with a fight."

Behind him, Naruto's gang moved impatiently, restless. One of them, Kiba, flashed a pointed smile. "I thought you didn't like to shed blood, Hyuuga?"

Neji lazily turned his gaze to the other man, looking at him as if he were a child that had spoken out of turn. "I don't usually have to, Inuzuka. I don't fight like a dog."

Kiba snarled soundlessly and the group moved again, like a breathing thing on the verge of erupting into movement. Unconcerned, Neji moved his attention back to Naruto who was watching him with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What terms?"

But suddenly a police siren sounded, a wail that had Neji moving back into the shadows, slipping away even as the Lions disbanded, jumping fences in their hurry to escape. Neji looked back only once and caught Naruto's determined gaze.

"Tomorrow night at the city dance, Uzumaki. Don't be late."

After that, he headed deep into his own territory close to the river, a wide expanse of warehouses and small shops, of brick streets and flickering streetlamps. He walked calmly, purposefully, nodding to people who recognized the tattoo on his forehead and lowered their eyes in respect. He ruled this neighborhood. He was their protector from groups such as the Lions, who took what they could get because it was easy, it was the way things had always been. Neji had had to fight for everything he had and his people loved him for it. Distant and cold as he may have seemed, he kept them safe and when twilight fell, that was all that really mattered.

Near midnight, Neji finally entered the bottom floor of his loft, greeting Rock Lee who was on guard there. His long time friend and partner was wide awake and completely focused, not showing the least bit of fatigue though he had been up for twenty-four hours. There had been raids before on Neji's home and anyone on duty there knew better than to so much as yawn in his presence. With Lee, though, there was never any question of ability.

Just a question of sanity.

"Is she upstairs?" he asked, keeping his voice pitched low. Lee came to his side.

"Yes. Hinata was here for awhile as well but Shino walked her home." Lee's hand clenched into a fist. "If I find out who dimmed her innocent flower of youth I'll-"

Neji made for the stairs before another one of Lee's passionate speeches could get underway. "Get some sleep, Lee. And find something nice to wear. You're going to a dance tomorrow."

Neji only had time to hear Lee's incredulous "_What_?" before he stepped into his bedroom and closed the door, slipping out of his shoes as he crossed the carpet, his shirt unbuttoned before he even reached the bed. Leaning over the rumbled sheets, he put a hand on the slope of his girlfriend's waist and wasn't surprised to feel her turn over at the touch, her eyes blinking sleepily in the dark.

"Neji." Her hand fumbled for the open edge of his shirt and tugged, pulling him into bed and almost on top of her. She laughed throatily, still full of dreams, as he kissed the hollow of her throat. "Where have you been? You know I hate to go to bed alone." Her fingers tangled in his long hair as he bent to kiss her properly.

"Out," he answered once he could breathe. He collapsed onto his back, head against the pillows, and allowed her to press herself against him, one of her legs hooking over his. She brushed her lips over his jaw and laid her head against his shoulder, giving him a chance to take in the scent of her vanilla shampoo. He loved the way Tenten smelled. Like vanilla and earth and sunlight.

Like home.

Every muscle in his body immediately relaxed and he closed his eyes, one arm wrapping around her shoulders as her fingers traced the planes of his chest soothingly.

She began speaking after a moment, her voice low and drowsily muffled. "Hinata came over for dinner. It was Kabuto that spoke to her, the creepy bastard. I thought he had been kicked out of the Lions for good?"

"Not for good," Neji answered absently, "Just for now. Even Uzumaki doesn't like him, but getting rid of him might be more trouble than it's worth."

"Mmmm. Well, Hinata's fine. She's preoccupied with helping Sakura settle in anyway. She doesn't have time to think of anything else."

Neji moved his head slightly. "Sakura's working at the dress shop?"

"What else could I do with her?" Tenten's nose crinkled in that way she had when she was worried. "She has no idea of how to live here, Neji." Her voice dropped. "She's too…"

"There's going to be a meeting tomorrow night at the city dance," Neji said smoothly. "Tell Sakura she is to be there as well. She'll learn quickly."

Tenten's head lifted a little and her dark brown eyes found his. "A dance?" Her lips pursed and he could tell she was coming fully awake. "You mean a war council. Neji—"

He cut her off by kissing her, rolling them over until his weight pressed her down against the mattress. She made a sound in her throat but didn't object when his hand slipped under her shirt.

"Just bring her," he whispered against her lips and she nodded breathlessly, her hand against his cheek.

"As you wish."

* * *

**Scene II**

"_Sasuke_…" Naruto whined, hands in his pockets as he followed the other man across the yard. "Hyuuga's serious this time and," his voice dropped to a mutter, "you know I've never been good with words, you bastard."

"No," Sasuke said flatly, for the tenth time. He set the box he was carrying down near the stairs of the store, not bothering to turn and receive the glare Uzumaki was sending his way.

Naruto had arrived early that morning at Kakashi's General Store, the place Sasuke had worked at for almost a year in an attempt to avoid another knife in the ribs. The loud-mouthed leader of the Lions had been deceptively cheerful but it soon became clear he was worried about a coming confrontation with the Falcons and their deadly leader, Hyuuga Neji.

Naruto arriving at dawn with a too-wide smile and an offer to help stack inventory could mean only one thing: he had come to recruit Sasuke for the war council.

Sasuke's answer had been very clear.

"Beat it, Naruto."

"But-"

"I don't lead the Lions anymore. I haven't for over a year." Leaning over the box, he pulled a switchblade from his pocket and cut the tape. "The Hyuuga's your problem."

Naruto growled. "Grown too weak to face him, huh, _Uchiha_?"

Sasuke finally turned, black eyes flashing as Naruto stared at him defiantly, waiting. It had always been this way between them, more friends than enemies, more rivals than friends. When Sasuke had left the Lions, Naruto had been the obvious choice to take his place and the others followed him almost religiously, but Naruto was never one for subtlety.

And Hyuuga Neji was so subtle, Naruto could say one wrong thing and find he had missed the entire council and Neji was now ruling his territory.

Sasuke snorted and crossed his arms, eyeing his old friend disdainfully.

"You're going to get yourself killed if I'm not there," he said after a moment. Naruto's face crinkled into a hard grin. "Where are you meeting him?"

"The city dance, it's neutral territory. I knew you'd do it, Sasuke!" He pumped a fist in the air. "With the two of us there, that damn Hyuuga won't know what-"

"Quiet, idiot. You're hurting my head with your nonsense."

Grumbling under his breath, Naruto bent and lifted another box, apparently making good on his promise to help with the store for awhile. Sasuke watched him disappear down to the cellar before turning his back on the store and walking a little ways from the brick building. The sun fell on his neck and arms, warming him as he tilted his head back, watching the sky.

He had no interest in the war council. Truth be told, he had no interest in Hyuuga Neji, either. He would go because without him, Naruto would only get into trouble and Sasuke didn't want the Lions getting a bad reputation. He had started that gang, after all. He sure as hell didn't want Naruto fucking it up. But even that couldn't make him care about the eventual outcome of all this feuding.

Instead, all he wanted was to understand why he felt that his bones were splitting, every nerve wound tight, his senses so alert he thought he could count the blades of grass underneath his feet. Every morning for the last week he had woken with the feeling that something was going to happen, a pressure like that of a storm on the horizon. There was something electric in the air and breathing it had made him restless.

Something was going to happen, he knew it, he just wished he knew _what_.

Sasuke brought his gaze down from the bright sky and shrugged the feeling away. Nothing really mattered. For years he had wanted to get away from this town and it's territorial boundaries. The meaningless skirmishes over time had made him cynical that there could ever be a place where he did not have to fight for everything. Kakashi, of course, had had a different point of view and it had been with his urging that Sasuke had stayed. Trying to fit himself into conventional society, though, was becoming more of a chore than something he wanted for himself. He still felt trapped behind chain-link fences.

"Who knows," he murmured to himself, "maybe that feeling will never go away."

"Hey, I said I would help! Not do it all myself!" Naruto cried indignantly from the staircase. Sasuke turned on his heel and made for the store.

"I'm coming, moron. I'm coming."

* * *

**Scene III**

Sakura eyed the material in Hinata's hands with no small amount of trepidation, her face reflecting her reluctance.

"Does it have to be white? I'm going to feel like a child."

Hinata paused in her sewing to tilt her head, her gray eyes analyzing the delicate fabric with the same focused look her cousin sometimes got. The dress was beautiful really, thin and airy, perfect for a summer evening dancing. Sakura only wished it didn't scream "pure as the driven snow" so easily. Hinata, though, seemed not to see anything amiss.

"I think it's going to look very beautiful on you," she said with a small smile, her soft voice almost a whisper. Hinata never spoke loudly, a trait that often made Sakura constantly feel like she was shouting at the younger girl even when speaking normally. "And Neji did say it should be white." Hinata's fingers brushed over the collar. "Lee is going to be there, after all."

Sakura struggled to keep her face smooth. "If Neji says so, I suppose it must be white, but surely Lee will not care what color I wear. I know your cousin thinks I should marry him, but Lee and I have always been…friends…"

"Sometimes friends make the best husbands."

Sakura eyed Hinata askance. "You don't have someone in mind for _your_ husband, do you?"

Hinata blushed and, for a moment, her voice revealed it's childhood stutter. "I..I don't think I will e..ever marry. N..Neji says no one is suitable."

"Neji says a lot of things," a melodious voice said, "but you learn not to listen to at least half."

Hinata stood quickly, blinking owlishly as Tenten walked into the room, a cheerful smile on her face. Sakura hurriedly followed her example, skittish as always in the presence of the Hyuuga's girlfriend, the only woman who had ever argued with the leader of the Falcons and _won_. Tenten was a very kind person, and very reasonable, but she held a sort of latent power that reminded Sakura constantly of the woman's position. Tenten was the right hand of the Hyuuga and no matter how much she may have seemed just an ordinary girl, Tenten was just as fierce as Neji when it came to protecting herself and others.

"Ah, I see you two are hard at work," Tenten said, her eyes on Sakura's dress. "Neji told you it had to be white, hmmm?"

Sakura blushed, somehow feeling that her earlier complaints were suddenly childish. "It's alright."

In Tenten's presence, Hinata relaxed enough to smile timidly. "Sakura wishes the neck were a little lower."

An amused smile curved Tenten's lips and Sakura felt the blush creep all the way to her hairline until she was sure she was as red as one of the tomatoes she had grown in the countryside. "I…well…"

Tenten laughed, startling them, and took the dress from Hinata, holding it up to see it better. "It _is_ a bit restrictive, isn't it? I don't think lowering it another inch would hurt." Sakura grinned and even Hinata giggled softly. "Just don't tell Neji I said it was alright. He has this notion that you're still the innocent farm girl and I told him you'd be dressed as the epitome of propriety."

Sakura clasped her hands together. "This _will_ be my first public event in the City." Her green eyes sparkled. "I wonder what it will be like? I'm sure everything is going to be so exciting!"

Something flickered in Tenten's dark eyes briefly and then was gone before Sakura could put a name to it. The older woman smiled but it was distant. "Yes, it should be exciting. Just make sure to stay with Lee, he'll take care of you." She handed the dress back to Hinata. "I'll see you both there so keep out of trouble till then!"

"Yes, Tenten," Hinata agreed meekly. Sakura waved in farewell and as soon as the door was closed, twirled in place whimsically.

"Tonight is going to be special, Hinata. I know it." Her fingers reached towards the ceiling. "Just wait and see. Everything is going to change." She closed her eyes, smiling.

"Everything."

**End Act I. **


	2. ACT II

_Author's Notes: Just to cover myself, I think I should mention that while this story does crossover certain events of "West Side Story" it will not follow the plot perfectly. Perhaps I should say that it is "loosely based", that might be better. I just don't want anyone disappointed when things start to deviate. _

_That being said, enjoy the second Act! It is dedicated to **AmazinGSensatiOn** for boundless and very kind support. Thank you._

**Scene I**

The dance was more than she had hoped for.

The entire gym of the local high school had been decorated with rolls of colored paper and handfuls of balloons that bobbed along the ceilings. Glittered stars twirled on strings and loud music played over the speakers, jarring her eardrums with each beat. Everywhere she looked she saw bright dresses and neatly combed hair and shoes that clicked against the floor.

Sakura _loved_ it.

She didn't even mind that no one was really dancing, the room seemingly divided by an invisible line that kept Falcons on one side and Lions on the other. Though she had only just recently moved to the City, she understood the implications of both groups being in the same room but it could not dim the wonderful feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had never attended a big social gathering, having lived in the country for most of her life, and she was determined to make the most of it.

Standing beside her, Lee seemed to also be in good spirits. Then again, he almost always was. Rock Lee was almost impossible to offend and his determination made him a solid optimist. That alone caused him to be a good companion at such a volatile meeting but he was also an accomplished fighter, another reason Neji had ordered her to stay close to him. Of course, neither of them had mentioned the subject of marriage but she knew Lee was aware of Neji's intentions.

From birth, Sakura had been adopted into the Hyuuga family, her mother having died in labor, her father having abandoned her when he learned his girlfriend was pregnant. Neji was her legal guardian and she had grown up under the protection of the Falcon's wings, always sheltered, always protected. She had been different, though, and she had known from a very small age that she was not like Neji and Hinata. So, when they had moved to the City in search of something better, she had stayed behind. Now that she had followed them, she knew she had made the right choice.

Smiling to herself, she looked over at her adopted brother and his lover, Tenten looking absolutely stunning in a red dress that whirled around her knees every time she turned. Neji wore a dark jacket over a white dress shirt, the collar unbuttoned as to give him a sort of rebellious look. His long hair fell unrestrained and the tattoo on his forehead was obvious, marking him for who he was. He was speaking quietly with Tenten, his hand on her back, a sign that for all of their pretenses, he knew exactly where he was. He did seem relaxed though, and Sakura thought she saw his lips twitch into an almost smile when Tenten leaned in and whispered something by his ear.

"Alright, girls and boys, it's time to get things moving!" A weary looking public official said into a microphone, shifting nervously on his feet as everyone's attention suddenly fell on him. "We're at a dance, aren't we? Let's see who's the best dancer."

Lee raised a determined fist. "Let's go, Sakura! We must uphold the honor of the legendary dancing Falcons!"

Sakura raised an eyebrow and looked at her partner oddly. "Dancing Falcons?"

He flashed her a blinding white smile. "Anything the Lions can do, we can do twice as well!"

Sakura smiled but she suddenly felt downhearted. Even dancing had become another piece in Neji and Naruto's endless chess game.

A game Neji seemed intent on winning as he watched Tenten cross the floor to come toe-to-toe with what had to have been Naruto's date, an auburn-haired girl by the name of Sasame. The two girls smiled at each other but it was clear there wasn't anything sweet about it and, as a new song started, Sakura found she was right.

There was a flash of red skirts and then Tenten was dancing, a wild intense dance that made use of her long, graceful lines and acrobatic tendencies. It was a sultry type of movement she showed and Sakura felt herself blushing as the other girl sent Neji a smoky look and a quick smile. The Falcons whistled and cheered and couldn't take their eyes off her. Surprisingly, neither could the other side and Sakura heard Naruto grumble loudly about his men "ogling the enemy".

Sasame, however, danced just as vibrantly, if a bit more reserved, as if she were concentrating too much. The music ended with her breathing heavily as if she had just run a marathon while Tenten simply curtsied prettily to Naruto and laughed when his face turned as red as her dress.

"Alright, quiet down, people," the same tired official commented, "We're going to try something fun now. Everyone make two circles, girls on the inside, guys on the outside. Girls, you'll move to the left, boys to the right and when you hear the whistle, stop and dance with whoever's in front of you. Are we clear?"

There were a number of groans and dark looks but Sakura smiled excitedly at Lee who flashed her a thumbs up.

And then the music started.

Sakura danced with a boy named Chouji who kept eating potato chips one-handed, Lee, Shino, and Neji, who turned out to be a smooth if somewhat too efficient dancer. She saw Hinata get paired with Naruto, the two of them dancing clumsily until the circles shifted, sending them away from each other and she got sent to Shikamaru, a reluctant dancer to be sure. Tenten danced with Lee and Kiba, who kept growling, prompting Tenten to tell him to "keep his paws to himself".

Trying to keep from laughing at her friend's predicament, Sakura didn't notice her newest partner until she felt someone take her hand and something hot raced up her palm and down her spine. She turned quickly to find herself in the arms of a darkly handsome man she hadn't seen before, his raven-wing eyes going from bored to suddenly intense as if he had felt what she had.

Stricken, Sakura found herself moving to the music on reflex, her whole being focused on the boy whose steady hands were cold but incredibly strong.

She really couldn't breathe properly with him looking at her like that.

"Who are you?" she blurted out, immediately embarrassed at her lack of self-control. It was just… she had never seen anyone like him. His eyes were like caverns, holding secrets that she knew must be both dark and dangerous. What frightened her was that she actually wanted to _know_ them.

"Sasuke," he said, his low voice reflecting his own surprise at answering so readily, "Uchiha Sasuke."

The name was ringing a bell somewhere but she couldn't place it, her mind was so foggy.

"I'm Sakura," she told him, "Nice to meet you."

It was a full minute before he answered, "Nice to meet you," as if he had never said it before. She smiled and he inhaled suddenly as Sakura felt another electric shock shoot through their connected hands. Her breath hitched in her chest and she made a small sound in her throat.

"What the hell are you doing, Uchiha?"

Sakura jumped as Neji's voice sounded close to her ear, his hand on her elbow as he pulled her back a pace and away from Sasuke. The Hyuuga's face was as hard as a rock and his silver eyes flashed steel. Around them, the dancers milled uncertainly, oblivious to the continuing music.

"Hyuuga," Sasuke said, somehow making the name an insult. Neji's expression tightened.

"I told you long ago to stay away from my family. Do you need another lesson in manners?"

Sasuke's look flattened but he was interrupted by Naruto scrambling to his friend's side.

"This is neutral territory, Hyuuga. The rules don't apply here."

"Then perhaps we should take this outside."

"We were only talking," Sasuke said suddenly, dangerously. "Something I thought you wanted to do this evening?"

Without turning his head, Neji spoke, his words carefully calm. "Lee, take Sakura home."

Sakura blinked, "But-"

"_Now_, Sakura." Neji's voice was like a cold icicle through her heart and she knew he was furious. She nodded once.

"Yes, Neji."

She allowed Lee to lead her from the building, looking back only once to find Sasuke's eyes on her, fathomless and yet full of something that made her warm from head to toe. She smiled privately to herself all the way back to her apartment.

Lee never noticed.

* * *

**Scene II**

"You overreacted," Tenten told him later that night as they stood on the roof of their loft. He glared at her but she only arched an eyebrow, hands on her hips. "She was only dancing-"

"With a Lion," he interjected.

"-with a _man_," she finished, emphasizing the last word. She walked a few steps away from him, skirts swishing in agitation. "Sasuke's not even in the Lions anymore. You know Naruto just brought him to intimidate you."

Neji snorted.

She turned her head to look at him. "He wouldn't have harmed her, and now Naruto is using this incident to start a fight." Her expression turned solemn. "Where are you to meet him?"

"At Kakashi's store at midnight." At her look, he added more forcefully, "It's time we put a stop to all this, Tenten."

"Do you actually think that's what will happen? That it'll stop?" Her shoulders suddenly slumped and she turned away, looking out over the sparkling city. "Because I don't." He took a step towards her but halted when she spoke again. "I like this place, Neji. It's free, it's wild, it's like the edge of one of my knives. You never know what will happen."

He was quiet for a moment. "And the fighting?"

"I hate it," she said adamantly, turning again to face him. "But I don't think it will ever end."

There was another silence, and then…

"I want to go back," he said softly.

She answered just as quietly. " But I'm here."

He shifted on his feet and she came to him, unable to stay away any longer. He folded her into his arms and held her silently, conflicted and not knowing what to say. He had never been the type of man who said what he felt, relying on Tenten's great understanding of him to make their relationship work. She knew him inside and out and most of the time they were in perfect harmony, but this… This they would never agree on.

Just because she loved those streets didn't mean they would ever be safe.

"Stay with me tonight," she said into his shoulder, her body flush against his. "You don't have to go. Let them think they've won for now, there'll be another battle tomorrow and the day after. You don't have to go."

He put his hands on her arms and moved her back gently. She closed her eyes briefly in pained and weary acknowledgement.

"So you would choose him over me?" Her smile was lopsided and hard to watch. He turned from it and started for the fire escape, swallowing his own disappointment.

"No, I would choose everyone over myself."

* * *

**Scene III**

He really couldn't say what he was doing outside her apartment. He was on the wrong side of town, standing in the dark, hands in his pockets as he waited for a glimpse of her over the railing of the fire escape. Something told him he was being a fool but it wasn't enough to make him turn and leave. Even the prospect of being found by her brother - he sneered at that title - didn't make him reconsider. After the dance, he hadn't been able to think about anything else but her face.

And it was damn annoying.

Uchiha Sasuke was not the kind of man who chased girls, girls chased _him_. He was aloof. A pillar of restraint.

A flash of pink in the window made him tense.

He was a fool.

He had come with the idea that maybe if he saw her, that odd feeling in his stomach would leave and he could go back to normal. Naruto was getting ready to start a war with the Hyuuga, Sasuke didn't have time to get involved with a woman, much less one that flew with the Falcons.

It was simply unfortunate that none of these thoughts could make him look away as she came to the window, green eyes flashing down until they connected with his. A look of surprise crossed her face and she lifted the glass in order to step through the window and out onto the fire escape. She was dressed only in a thin nightgown, unadorned and simple in the moonlight, unafraid of him as she leaned over the railing.

"Sasuke."

He had expected her to ask why he was there but she did not. She simply said his name softly and watched him with a small smile, as if she knew all along he would come. He almost wished she had told him that's what he'd be doing. It would have saved him a lot of trouble.

"If Neji knew…" she whispered.

"He never has to know," he replied and, instantly, it was as if they didn't have to speak of what they were doing. It was all perfectly clear. They were going to do this, walk that forbidden line, dance over it. He didn't have to explain what he was doing there. She already knew.

"I'm not a Lion," he said, after a moment. She smiled again and something in his chest tightened. It was a sad smile.

"But you are not a Falcon, either."

He didn't move. "Does it matter?"

"No. Yes. Lee is downstairs. If he were to find you here, he would kill you." She said it matter-of-factly and Sasuke had no reason not to believe her. "But I…" a pale blush rose in her cheeks, "I… liked dancing with you, Sasuke."

A shiver ran down his spine at the way she said his name, as if it were new and polished and beautiful. He had never thought of it that way.

"Then I will come to you tomorrow."

Her eyes widened. "I have work."

"After that." His gaze was intense and she nodded after a second.

"Tomorrow then," she said and took a step back, the wind ruffling her night gown as she went back inside, throwing one last look at him before disappearing from view. It was several more minutes before Sasuke left, finding it difficult and not understanding why. He made his way back to the Lions' territory carefully, avoiding watchful eyes. By the time he made it to Kakashi's store it was nearing midnight and his energy from earlier was wearing down. At the moment, he wanted nothing more than to sleep and wake and have it be tomorrow night.

So it was a complete surprise to find Hyuuga Neji and Naruto standing in the front room of the store, barely a yard of distance between them and neither of them trying to kill the other.

"What are your terms, Hyuuga?"

"Tomorrow after dark, under the old highway."

Naruto nodded. "Weapons?"

Neji opened his mouth but Sasuke overrode him, barely realizing what it was he was doing. "Fists."

Naruto's jaw dropped. "WHAT?" Neji simply looked irritated at being interrupted.

Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest and tried not to wonder what the hell had gotten into him. "It's going to be a fair fight. Best man from each side slugs it out."

"Best man, mmm?" Neji murmured. The Hyuuga looked pleased though, and as well he should be. Neji in close combat was like an avalanche. There was a long held superstition in the Lions that if you were close enough to see your reflection in Neji's silver eyes, that would be the _last_ thing you ever saw. "Going to fight me yourself, Uchiha?"

Naruto grinned and punched a fist into his hand. "Nah, it's going to be me, Hyuuga. Sorry to disappoint."

Neji only shrugged, as if it didn't matter one way or the other. Sasuke knew it did, though. Naruto was much better at fighting toe-to-toe than he himself was. He'd have a much better chance of withstanding the Hyuuga's intensity.

"Tomorrow then," the Falcon said, and Naruto echoed him.

"Tomorrow, and don't be late, Neji."

Neji smiled the barest of smiles and left without a word, walking from the store as if he weren't alone within Lion territory. Sasuke watched him go before turning to find Naruto glaring at him.

"What the heck was that? A fist fight? With _Neji_? Are you _trying_ to get me killed?" Naruto grumbled, pouting. Sasuke arched an eyebrow.

"Actually, I just saved your life."

Naruto was immediately confused. "Eh?"

"Think about it, idiot. If you had let him choose the weapons, that woman of his would have outfitted him with his own personal arsenal." An arrogantly pleased look crossed his face. "You should be thanking me for saving your ass instead of complaining."

Naruto gave him a look that clearly said he would do no such thing and Sasuke could only smirk in answer.

Tomorrow was certainly going to be interesting.

**End Act II.**


	3. ACT III

_Dedicated to Vanessa, for coming up with a suitable title for this story and for imagining Sasuke serenading Sakura from beneath a balcony. My mind has never been the same since. Love you, dear._

**ACT III**  
**Scene I**

"You're happy this morning, Sakura."

"Really?" the pink-haired girl questioned absently. She was measuring the hem of a magnificent wedding dress, the long folds of the gown the color of pearls and dove wings. She had been altering it all morning, humming to herself, completely immersed in her own thoughts and fantasies.

"Yes. You've been smiling to yourself," Hinata said, a small smile of her own gracing her delicate features. "You look like a flower that's blooming."

Sakura blushed and stuck another pin through the dress' hem. It was true. She had felt very light all morning, as if her feet weren't really touching the ground. Everything had gone perfectly. The sky outside was cloudless and a blinding blue, her favorite song had come on the radio twice, and she was having a particularly good hair day. Most of all, the workday was flying by and it was almost time to close, a moment she had been anticipating since she had woken that morning.

Sasuke was coming.

She almost trembled just thinking about it.

She had decided to send Hinata home a few minutes early. She didn't want to get the younger girl in trouble and Sakura was very sure that meeting the former leader of the Lions in the back of a dress shop would constitute betrayal in Neji's eyes. If she had felt any less wonderful she might have truly realized what seeing Sasuke could mean for them both.

As it was, she didn't. She couldn't think of anything more serious than how she should greet him. Should she be happy to see him? Or maybe indifferent? Glad but not overly so?

"If I didn't know any better, I might think you two were plotting something, sitting there grinning at each other like fools." Tenten had come back down from the top floor of the store were she had been sorting fabrics. Her hair was coming loose from it's buns and, though her words had been teasing, she had a very even look on her face as she studied them. Hinata had told Sakura that very afternoon that Tenten and Neji had had a bit of an argument on the roof the night before, probably about the dance.

Had Tenten figured out something out about Sasuke?

"Just dreaming," Sakura answered, with enough charm to make the older girl relax slightly.

"Well, let's put the dreams aside until after close. Kin just called and wants her dress a _robin's egg blue_ not a sky blue." Tenten's voice grew high and squeaky as she mimicked the customer's words. "I don't know _what_ we could have been thinking."

Hinata put her hand over her mouth to keep from giggling but Sakura laughed openly. She was just feeling so good. If only she could hold on to his moment, put it in her pocket like a photograph so she could look at it when days were dark.

But Tenten was already heading towards the front, keys in her hand to lock the door. Hinata was following, purse slung over her shoulder. She waved goodbye gently and was walking down the street before Sakura could even respond, silent in a world full of noise. Tenten reached out to close the door for the last time that day but suddenly froze, her whole body stilling as Sasuke stopped it with his hand against the glass.

"I've come to see Sakura."

He said it so flatly that it was obvious he didn't think his request unusual. Tenten, however, seemed to have other ideas.

"You shouldn't be here, Uchiha." Tenten glanced back at Sakura firmly. "This is dangerous."

Sakura blinked at the hidden meaning in those words. _She knew._

"And your boyfriend fighting Naruto isn't?" He said the words casually but something in Sasuke's face was almost… angry. _Does he think Naruto will lose?_ Sakura had no answer to that, and neither did Tenten. Instead, the older woman's expression grew closed and she stepped back, letting Sasuke in as she did so. Her brown eyes flickered to the pair of them before turning the key in the lock.

"I'll close up," she said, her voice neutral. Tenten then headed for the back of the store, no doubt to lock the other entrance. She caught Sakura's gaze as she passed. "You have a few minutes. Make it quick."

When she was gone, Sakura turned to find Sasuke still staring the way Tenten had gone, a carefully thoughtful look on his face. Without thinking, she put a hand on his arm.

"She won't tell Neji you're here. To her, this has nothing to do with the Lions or the Falcons."

"I agree," he said immediately, surprising her. He turned to glance at her and she blushed under that heavy, dark look. In an effort to divert his intense attention, she changed the subject.

"There's going to be a fight tonight?"

He nodded. "Naruto and Neji want to settle their scores."

Her fingers tightened on his sleeve. "Sasuke, we can't let it happen."

His brows drew together. "It's only a fist fight, Sakura, they've had worse."

She shook her head, suddenly sure that _any_ fight between their two gangs would be bad for them. "Please, will you go and stop it?"

There was a flicker of surprise across his face before he regained his usual cool exterior. His hand came up and covered her fingers, pulling them gently away from his sleeve.

"Sakura…"

"Please," she said again, tilting her head back as he drew closer to her, looking down into her bright green eyes. "I know you can do it."

From the back room, Tenten's voice spoke with clear impatience. "Sakura?"

Before they could get any closer, Sakura moved away, her hand sliding from Sasuke's as she moved backwards towards her waiting friend. She kept her eyes on him as she went and when she was almost out of sight, he nodded slightly in acceptance.

She smiled and turned, failing to see the physical jolt that hit him in the wake of her happiness, and how he took a step in her direction as if he thought he could actually reach her.

* * *

**Scene II**

Rock Lee watched the fight under the bridge on the balls of his feet, ready at any moment to fly at anyone who looked like they would interfere. The loose ring of Falcon and Lions surrounding the two combatants was on edge, hurling insults and grumbling whenever another punch landed. It was almost a mob, the threat of violence so near the surface they might as well have dispensed with the illusion of control and gone for each other's throats.

As it was, Neji and Naruto fought in a space that moved and surged with them, voices from both sides yelling support or profanities. Lee had been glad to hear that the fight would consists of only the leaders, but he wasn't comfortable with the fact that, if it came to blows, the Falcons were out-numbered. Neji had allowed only a handful of his people to attend the fight while it looked like Naruto relished having an audience.

Surprisingly, neither of them were winning.

They were both bloodied. Neji would be sporting a black eye and a badly bruised jaw in the morning, and Naruto moved as if his ribs were already aching, if not fractured. The Lion didn't look like he was ready to give in, though, a rebel's grin on his face as he sent a hard right towards Neji's abdomen.

Lee watched closely as Neji twisted to the side to avoid the jab, bringing his elbow down hard on the back of Naruto's head. The jolt made Naruto hit the pavement, something falling out of his pocket and clattering to the ground next to him.

In an instant, Lee was moving through the mass of bodies towards Neji but he wasn't fast enough. Naruto reached out and grabbed the switchblade he'd dropped on instinct, snapping it open with a well-practiced movement and turned, slicing at Neji's chest as he backed away. Blood splattered the concrete but the wound wasn't deep, Neji was still on his feet, eyes narrowed in fury as the Lions cheered on their leader.

As Lee pushed his way to the front, he could see that Naruto was contemplating dropping the weapon. He hadn't been meaning to use it but the opportunity had presented itself and, like any good fighter, he had taken the advantage it brought.

In the next moment, though, Lee quickly revised his opinion when Neji was crowded back against a chain-link fence, weaponless, and more bloody than before. Maybe he should... but no, Neji struck with a fierce kick to Naruto's arm and the Lion dropped his knife, clutching what Lee knew must a broken arm. Quickly, Neji rolled for the knife just as Naruto leapt for him, seeing his intention.

The blood draining from his face, Lee pushed into the circle, opening his mouth to shout a warning...

Neji turned over on his back, half lifting the blade and Naruto fell upon him, the knife sinking into his side so silently anyone might have missed it.

There was a moment of stunned silence as all the observers realized what had happened. Neji pushed Naruto off him and stood, only Lee seeing the way his face was paler than usual, his expression so blank he knew the Hyuuga was just shocked at what had happened.

On the ground, Naruto made some sort of sound and Lee caught the edge of a dark blur at the corner of his vision, a flash of silver light.

The throwing knife hit Neji in the shoulder, actually pushing him backwards from the force of the throw. Lee was already turning, following the path of the blade to find Sasuke standing a few feet away, his features drawn together in anger.

"Naruto," he said, quite clearly. Uzumaki grunted.

"I'm fine, bastard, don't-" He coughed blood before he could finish.

Neji reached up and pulled the knife from his shoulder. Blood immediately darkened his shirt. He seemed incapable of speaking and suddenly Lee felt a prickle on the back of his neck, a sign of impending doom.

"Down!" he shouted to the Falcons, and watched them drop obediently, knowing what was coming. Steel fell screaming from the sky, a hail of knives that had the Lions running for cover, Sasuke hefting Naruto over his shoulder and disappearing. Admist the storm of weapons, Tenten dropped down from her hiding place, pulling Neji's arm around her neck in support. She glanced at Lee and he nodded, making sure they were gone before sending the Falcons away with a quick hand movement.

As they fled, he picked up one of Tenten's knives, flipping it through his fingers before holding it steady in his hand, a determined look on his face.

A minute later he picked up Naruto's trail of blood and vanished into the night.

* * *

"It was an accident."

"I know," Tenten said hurriedly as she took a moment to look at Neji's wound. He was leaning against the side of a building, bleeding everywhere, and she tried to keep her hands from shaking as she pressed the torn sleeve of her shirt against his shoulder. "He fell on you, that's all." She bit her lip as her makeshift bandage turned crimson within seconds. "He shouldn't have had a knife..."

Neji's face twitched, almost as if he were trying to smile. "You had more than enough."

"I wasn't fighting," she snapped absently, too preoccupied with tending him to notice his hand under her chin, nudging her face up to look at him. What she saw in his eyes made her jerk her head away, blinking rapidly. "Don't even think that, Hyuuga. You're going to be fine." She pulled his arm over her shoulders again. "Come on. Shizune's place isn't much farther."

She got him walking, each step filled with more of his life draining away. By the time they got to Shizune's front door, Tenten was frantic and Neji was having trouble keeping his eyes open. She kicked the door open without preamble and stood there, eyes wild and covered in blood, uncaring that she had just scared the hell out of the former doctor.

"Save him," Tenten ordered, her voice hoarse.

Shizune rose to do just that.

* * *

**Scene III**

There was rain falling when he woke. He could hear it before he even opened his eyes, the light pattering against the window pulling him from a heavy sleep. As his gaze focused on the ceiling, he realized that he had no idea where he was, could remember nothing after looking into Tenten's eyes and silently telling her that no man who came after would ever love her more than he did.

Strange that he hadn't died.

But then, if the odd coloring of the ceiling was any indication, he could guess at where she had brought him. Shizune had always had an odd fascination with the color green.

Trying to clear his muddled mind, he turned his head slightly and found Tenten sitting by the window watching the storm. Flashes of lightning drew a halo around her silhouette, highlighting her loose hair and the dried tracks of tears on her face. Even as he watched, she raised a graceful hand to rub at her eyes, never making a sound. His throat tightened and his fingers curled into the bed sheets. She was too beautiful for him. Even when she fought it was like watching a ballerina dance among swords.

And now she sat alone, the fresh evidence of sorrow shed for him on her cheeks, and he wanted nothing more than to take her and go far beyond that city of blood and loyalties.

"Tenten."

She turned instantly and came to his side, her hand reaching out for his. His fingers intertwined with hers as she sank to her knees by the bed, bringing their joined hands up to press a kiss into the back of his knuckles.

"You're awake."

Her tone said she had been sure of it, but her lip trembled and gave her away. He wondered how much of his blood stained the street below.

"Are you alright?" His voice came out creaky and hollow. Tenten reached across him for a glass of water and tilted his head up so he could take a drink. Her face held an odd expression, as if she wanted to laugh and cry both at once.

"Idiot," she murmured, and replaced the glass with her lips as he sank back into the mattress again, her kiss so light and sweet that his heart ached. After a moment, she pulled away enough to rest her head against his good shoulder, her hair sliding across his chest and the wealth of bandages that crossed over it. He wrapped a wavy lock of it around his fingers, taking comfort in the silky feel.

She still smelled of vanilla and sunlight.

"I'll do whatever you want," she said suddenly, pressing the words into his neck, "If you want to leave this place, I'll follow you. If you want me to fight, I'll become a weapon. I'll do anything if you say it's what you want."

He took a halting breath. "Tenten…"

"Just don't ever do that to me again."

He exhaled steadily and, when he sure he wasn't going to disgrace himself, he turned his head and looked into her earth-dark eyes.

"Never again," he said firmly, and she closed her eyes in acknowledgement, pressing her body close to his side as he laid a feather kiss on the bridge of her nose. Fear was banished with his touch.

At that point, he must have fallen back into exhausted sleep for when he woke about an hour later, the space next to him was cold. Tenten was gone.

**End Act III.**


	4. ACT IV

_Author's Notes: Mild warnings for this chapter. Vague references to sex and attempted rape. Nothing over PG-13 however. _

**ACT IV**

**Scene I**

Sakura had spent the most of the stormy night trapped in her room, waiting to hear that the fight under the bridge had been called off. At any moment, she thought to see Lee at her door, brimming with news that neither Naruto nor Neji had fought. As the hours passed though, she began to think that her hopes were destined to be crushed. In her anxiety, she even called Neji's loft hoping to hear Tenten's musical voice on the other end but had to hang up after letting it ring more than twenty times. She tried telling herself that perhaps they weren't answering because they wanted privacy, or maybe they hadn't come straight back. The feeble wishes didn't sound true even to her. Neji always answered his phone incase there was an emergency.

No, she had a dark feeling that something terrible had happened, a notion that was reinforced when a knock at her door brought her Sasuke, drenched and covered in blood.

"Sasuke," she said, stricken, and reached out towards him as he half stumbled inside, falling heavily against her. She put her shoulder under his arm and helped him towards her bed. When he was seated, she hurried to her bathroom and returned with a large towel, her pale face in sharp contrast with his crimson clothes.

"What happened? Where are you hurt?" Her hands fluttered over him nervously, her breath hitching in her throat as she knelt before him, ducking a little to look up into his face.

His eyes were blank.

"Sasuke," she said, her voice more controlled than she thought possible, "Did Neji hurt you?"

There. Something flickered in his eyes and he seemed to finally see her. His voice was rough. "It's not my blood."

There was such a welling of relief she almost couldn't think clearly. "Whose is it then?"

"Naruto's." Her eyes widened but he didn't allow her to ask. Now that he had started, he seemed determined to get it all out. "I tried to stop him. I told him not to, but he brought it anyway. The knife… he shouldn't have had it."

Something like a scream was rising in Sakura's throat, burning it's way out of her body as she struggled to tame that thread of fire that was making tears well in her eyes. He couldn't be saying what she thought he was saying. It was a mistake. Sasuke had stopped the fight. He had to have. She believed in him.

But his eyes were telling her something else.

"Sasuke," and this time her voice cracked, sharp and high, "are you saying Naruto stabbed Neji?"

For the first time since entering her apartment, Sasuke raised his head and looked her straight in the eye, raindrops sliding down his cheeks like tears.

"No. I did."

The world tilted oddly and Sakura's heart jumped sideways painfully, that scream working its way out through her clenched teeth as something like a sob. She put a hand over her mouth immediately and leaned back. The towel fell to the floor.

That blank look had come back into Sasuke's face. "He stabbed Naruto and I stabbed him. That girl of his came and took him away. I don't know if he's alive or dead."

She could only whisper. "And Naruto?"

"I took him to Tsunade. She's a doctor and a friend of Kakashi's." He shrugged but she could see the effort it cost him. "I left before she could tell me if he'd make it."  
His head bowed again as if the weight of the night was too much for him. Silence fell and she simply sat there on the floor of her room, empty and grief-stricken and horribly angry at a world that would let this happen.

Then she leaned forward between Sasuke's knees and kissed his lips, cold and sweet with rainwater. She didn't think about it, just knew that if she didn't do _something_ she was going to shatter like glass. It a took a minute for Sasuke to react but when he did, his hands came up to grip her shoulders tightly, possessively, and he deepened her kiss, sliding off the bed to push her back into the carpet.

With his larger body over hers, she turned her face to the side, breaking their kiss enough to whisper into his ear. "It's not your fault. It's not your fault." A shudder ran through his body and she kept up the mantra as she stripped him of his wet clothes, reinforcing her words with kisses along his neck and collarbone.

Maybe, if she said it enough, he would believe her.

* * *

**Scene II**

Tenten climbed the apartment steps slowly, her determination unwavering as every foot brought her closer and closer to confrontation. She was cold and tired and the night's events had drained her emotionally, but her spine was straight, her eyes clear. She had lived through tough times all her life and would see plenty more. For years she and Neji had fought to protect themselves and those they loved, and she would not stop even thought her heart wished to be elsewhere. No, she had to take care of this now that Neji could not.

Reaching the landing, Tenten raised a hand and rapped on the door three times, keeping her breathing even as she heard footsteps inside. Even though it was well before dawn, there was still someone awake. Tenten was not surprised. She had expected this, counted on it.

Sakura answered the door.

The younger girl took one look at her bedraggled state, the blood on her clothes, the dark circles under her eyes and one hand flew to her mouth in shock. "Tenten, what…?"

"Where is he?"

Sakura's face paled, green eyes widened. She seemed incapable of speech so Tenten brushed by her into the apartment, gaze roving over the darkened room. Seeing that it was empty, she crossed the carpet quickly and pushed open the door to the bedroom, ready to draw a knife in a instant.

The bedroom, too, was empty, the sheets rumpled and the window open. Tenten turned slightly to find Sakura still be the door, completely frozen.

"Where is he, Sakura?"

"Neji," the girl whispered, "Is he…?

Cold anger flared but Tenten leashed it savagely. It was her fault, really. She had argued with Neji about letting Sakura see Sasuke when he didn't agree, had stood up for the girl even though everyone else seemed to have misgivings. She had allowed Sakura to believe that she could have a relationship with Sasuke, would even have given it her blessing.

She had been a fool.

"I'm asking you where Sasuke is, Sakura," she said, every word short and hard. "If I have to repeat myself again I will be very angry."

Sakura's hands visibly trembled and she linked them together to still them. Tenten was beyond caring. "He's not here. He left an hour ago. I…I'm supposed to meet him later." She took a step forward unconsciously, her voice pleading. "Please, tell me, is Neji alright? Sasuke said he wasn't sure…"

Irrationally, Tenten was incensed by Sakura's question. Who was _she_ to worry about Neji when her lover had almost killed him but a few hours ago? Who was _she_ to ask anything when she had allowed _that man_ into her bed fresh from a fight where her only family had fallen?

Tenten snapped. "You…" But her fury was so great that she couldn't speak, could only stand there and glare with rage and grief, angry tears filling her eyes. She swallowed and somehow managed an infuriated whisper. "You have _no right_…no right…to ask me _anything_."

Tears trailed down Sakura's cheeks but she stood her ground, her voice quavering only a little. "It was an accident. Neji hurt Naruto, Sasuke was only defending his friend. It was all an accident. Tenten, he didn't mean for any of this to happen. He wouldn't even have been there if I hadn't asked him to go and stop the fight!"

"So, his reward for stabbing your adopted brother was a romp in your bed?" Tenten asked coldly, watching as Sakura bit her lip. "You seem to know what happened at the bridge so he must have told you, and yet you still slept with him? Even knowing that he might have killed Neji you _gave yourself to him_?" She took a ragged breath, exhaustion of every kind threatening to stop her before she could finish. "I have never been more disgusted with someone than I am with you at this moment."

Sakura sobbed and suddenly burst out, "I love him! I didn't ask to, but I do! He wanted to be forgiven and so I did! Neji's and Naruto's injuries were the result of this useless war! It's not Sasuke's fault but if you need someone to blame then blame me." Her voice quieted. "I love him, Tenten, and I won't give him up."

There was a moment of heavy silence as the two women looked at each other, both in love and both trying to protect someone. Then Tenten staggered, suddenly so drained she could barely stand. Sakura darted forward and caught her reflexively, steadying her with hands on her arms.

From the door there came a heavy pounding and an commanding male voice. "Police! Open up Ms. Haruno! We need to ask you some questions!"

"Oh god," Sakura whispered, stricken. Tenten was finding what had to have been her fourth wind of the night and backed out of Sakura's reach, eyes on the door.

"Where are you suppose to meet Sasuke?"

Sakura's head whipped around and when she saw Tenten's face she almost wept again in gratitude. "At the basketball court near the train station in an hour. If the police question me, I'm going to be late. Will you…?"

Tenten pressed her lips together and turned, heading for the bedroom and the fire escape. Sakura closed her eyes briefly and whispered to her retreating back.

"Thank you."

* * *

**Scene III**

Tenten walked the dark path to Kakashi's store alone, shivering in the morning cold, sleepless and beyond being tired. She saw very few people and fewer still saw her, a silent shape of a woman bent on going unnoticed. One line kept running through her head as she walked, head down through enemy territory.

_Into the lion's den. Into the lion's den._

A lone Falcon in the wrong territory was easy prey, especially after the events of the night. The Lions would be on alert, edgy. She would need to be very careful.

"Careful," she muttered to herself, and shook her head. What she was doing was absolute foolishness. She wasn't even sure she understood it herself, only that something in Sakura's eyes had convinced her. That girl really did love Sasuke, the kind of love that Tenten recognized because she knew it as well.

And even Neji would understand that Tenten had always been a champion of the heart.

Once the decision had been made, it was made. That was the kind of woman she was. She hated worrying over something until it lost all meaning. She liked doing things, not talking about them. If Sakura wanted to meet Sasuke and run away, let them. It was probably the best way to stop all this ridiculous feuding. Tenten would go in, tell Sasuke that Sakura had been held up, and then she would turn her back for good. She'd go to Neji and they would leave this place, as he had wanted. They would find a new home, a better home.

The thought brought her new energy and she lifted her head, throwing back her shoulders as she opened the door to Kakashi's store and stepped inside.

The Lions were waiting for her.

It seemed all of them were there except for Sasuke and Naruto. Every pair of eyes turned to her and stayed there, silence falling like a heavy stone. Reminding herself of her mission, she took a breath to steady herself.

"I have a message for Sasuke."

"If it isn't Neji's whore," Kabuto spoke up, almost casually. She gave him a cool eye and said nothing. His glasses flashed at her as he smiled. "What are you doing on this side of town, _my lady_?" He took a step towards her and the whole group moved with him. "Lost?"

"Can't you hear?" she bit out, her stomach twisting as he took another step forward. She never had been able to stand Kabuto. Something about him made her feel nauseous whenever he was near. "I must speak to Sasuke."

"He's not here," Shikamaru drawled from a corner. Next to him, Kiba frowned, his voice almost a growl.

"What can you have to say to him anyway? Trying to lead Lee to him, are ya?"

Tenten hid the flicker of confusion that tried to cross her face. Lee? What did he have to do with all this? She hadn't seen him since the fight. Could he have gone after Naruto and Sasuke? Surely he couldn't have found them, not if Sasuke had been with Sakura.

"I'm here to help. Let me pass," she said, and she moved forward, brushing past Kabuto.

It was a mistake she knew she had made almost instantly. Kabuto turned and grabbed her arm, throwing her back against the glass window of the ice cream cases. She hit her head hard and was stunned for a brief second, just enough time for Kabuto to be on her with a yell to his companions.

Bodies pressed in around her and hands tore at her clothes, pulled at her hair. She grit her teeth and bit Kabuto on the lip when he tried to kiss her, laughing something about how he liked women who fought back. By then his hand was inside her shirt and she tried to knee him in the groin but found she had no room. There were too many people, most of them trying to hurt her, though she did hear a few of them shouting for the rest to stop. It wasn't any good though. Kabuto had pushed them over the edge, something he must have relished doing with Naruto out of commission.

Angry and frightened, she kept struggling and didn't stop until a bell chimed, signaling a customer, and Kakashi walked into his store, his very presence stopping everyone cold.

"What's going on here?" he asked calmly, hands in his pockets. His eyes were alert though, and not fooled as Kabuto and the rest backed away from her. Blessing whatever luck was with her that night, Tenten straightened and shakily smoothed her ruined clothes, finding some composure in the face of what she was about to do. She no longer cared about Sasuke or the Lions or the Falcons, even. She was done. Completely and utterly done.

"I came with a message for Sasuke," she said bitterly. "You can tell him that Sakura won't be meeting him. Lee found out about them last night and shot her."

And with that, she pulled the last threads of her dignity around her and stalked out the door, slamming it behind her.

She didn't look back.

**End Act IV**.


	5. ACT V

_Author's Notes: Tis the end, lovelies. I might plan on writing out an epilogue or a few missing scenes, but for now this is it. I hope you enjoyed the journey and thank you so much for your kind attention and support. _

**ACT V, Scene I**

Kakashi took the steps down to the basement slowly, hands in his pockets. He was feeling his age that night, all of the city's dark and awful secrets bearing down on the lines of his shoulders. He had seen this much in his time, had even once been a part of that shadowed underworld of gangs and their politics. But then he had lost something, everything, and had turned in his street name for a drug store on the corner of West and Third. It seemed, though, that he was destined to see the world's youth corrupted and killed, burdened beyond anything polite society would ever know of. Taking those cold, concrete stairs felt like a descent into hell, a journey he should have long been used to - if only he didn't have to face Sasuke at the end of it.

The boy was packing things into a duffel bag, his face one of content concentration. He wasn't on guard or he would have known that Kakashi was there before he glanced up and saw him. The midnight eyes stilled and Sasuke's hands stopped, one of his old shirts folded between his fingers.

"What is it?" Uchiha asked immediately, his usual impassive expression settling over his features. He had been waiting, Kakashi realized, for the other shoe to drop. Nothing in that young man's life had ever gone according to plan. He had been expecting some hitch, some turnabout that would once again steal a faint glimpse of a normal life. He could not know that what Kakashi was about to tell him was something neither of them had ever planned for. No one ever looked for Death.

"I got a message for you," he said, his words slow and without inflection. There was no soft way to impart such news. It was better just to say it. "You can't meet Sakura tonight."

Sasuke's hands were moving again, already silently dismissing what he thought his mentor would say. "Why is that?" he asked flatly, humoring an old man. Kakashi didn't look away. He still needed to punish himself.

"She's dead."

Never was there such a quiet as those words brought. It was a full minute before Sasuke looked up and when he did, his face was so blank it was as if those few words had erased everything: past, present, and future.

"How?" The question was asked with careful restraint, no hint of doubt. If Kakashi had said it, then it must be true - that was what the boy was thinking. Now there were only details, motives, choices to agonize over. Kakashi gave them to him.

"Lee, that kid they wanted to marry her off to, he found out about you. He confronted Sakura and shot her sometime after you left."

A muscle was moving in Sasuke's jaw but no words were coming out. Instead, he finished packing his things, zipping up the bag with a quick finality that was a sort of grief all it's own. Then, leaving everything where it was, the Uchiha walked right by him, his footsteps steady and sure.

As he passed, Kakashi spoke quietly. "Killing him won't fix it."

There was no answer. Just the wind of Sasuke's passing and the closing of the basement door at the top of the stairs as the last Uchiha went back to the streets.

They welcomed him.

* * *

**Scene II**

"Where are you?"

It was less a question and more of a demand.

Sasuke stood in the center of the neighborhood basketball court, head down, shoulders in straight lines down to his arms, one of which was corded with the effort of holding a gun. His fingers gripped the cool metal without shaking, his demeanor still and focused. He had come to take care of things. There was no revenge nor honor in what he was going to do. He was going to do it simply because it was the logical outcome of events.

Sakura was dead. He would kill her killer.

It was perfect in its senselessness.

Raising his head slightly, he sent a dark black gaze skimming over the pavement, eyeing the shadows with a calm that spoke of violence. Only hours ago he had been planning to meet Sakura there, the beginning of something more than a life on the streets where their two very different allegiances would have torn their families apart.

And Lee would come there. The Falcons were masterful at collecting information. He would have gotten what he needed to know from Sakura before he ever fired his gun. Kakashi had made it sound as if Lee had acted from jealousy but Sasuke thought otherwise. Lee had done it because Sakura had betrayed him and everything he was loyal to.

It was a matter of pride.

Sasuke's voice hardened and rose in pitch. "_Where are you?_"

Something moved in the corner of his vision and his arm came up and swung to the left, the barrel of his weapon pointed directly at Lee's chest as he appeared from the shadows. He had his hands up, palms out, and his face was composed, perfectly at ease with a bullet waiting for his heart. He stopped about thirty feet away.

"You've been looking for me," Lee said. "Here I am."

There was no blood on him, Sasuke noted with detachment. Nothing to say he had just come from Sakura's bedroom where he'd left her lifeless body. When he made no reaction other than to tighten his grip on the gun, Lee's eyebrows drew together.

"Where is Naruto?"

Sasuke was momentarily thrown off balance. Naruto? Sasuke had taken him to Tsunade what seemed like ages ago. Could it really have only been a handful of hours?

"He's fine," Sasuke replied coldly, and clicked off the safety on the 9mm. "But you are going to die here."

"You're going to kill me because I am a Falcon?" Lee spread his hands a little wider. "I suppose you felt me trailing you tonight. I congratulate you. I lost you on the south side of town, though." His voice filled with conviction. "Next time, I will not lose to you."

"There is not going to be a next time." Did the idiot not understand? "You will not leave here alive." His finger tightened even as his voice cracked harshly. "You killed Sakura, and I am going to kill you."

Lee's eyes widened in surprise and he was moving, sideways, out of the path of the bullet he knew was coming. Sasuke didn't care. Lee was too late, the trigger was sliding back...

"_Sasuke!_"

The gun clattered to the pavement. Lee dived and rolled to safety. Sasuke turned his head and caught a glimpse of petal-pink hair and wide green eyes.

"Sakura."

She was running towards him, a bag flung over one shoulder as if she had packed hurriedly. She had no wounds, no crimson stains on her clothes and she smelled of honeysuckle as she threw her arms around him, almost knocking him off his feet.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," she said breathlessly into his ear. "The police asked me all sorts of questions and it took me forever to get them to leave. I thought for sure you would be gone." She leaned back a little in order to look into his face. Her brow creased at his expression. "What is it? Are you angry? I know you had to wait but..."

He found his voice, "No." His hand gripped her arm carefully. She was really there. "I'm fine."

She nodded but the look on her face said she wasn't convinced. In front of them, Lee straightened, watching the scene before him incredulously.

"Sakura..."

She turned with a somewhat sympathetic smile. "Lee. I'm sorry, but I'm leaving the city with Sasuke. Tonight." Despite her gentle expression, her voice was unwavering. "I think you will agree that it is the best thing for both our families."

Lee's mouth was working as if he couldn't quite comprehend what he was hearing. Then, out of the blue, he smiled - a little sad and a little understanding.

"Then there is something I would ask of you before you go." His glance included Sasuke. "Both of you."

**Scene III**

* * *

_Neji, _

By now Lee has told you where I have gone. I know you will think I'm being foolish and I'm making a mistake, but I do this of my own free will. I am sorry I won't be able to say goodbye to you and the others in person but I think you know it's probably for the best. I never realized that the city held so much pain and politics, but what I wish for now is peace - for you and everyone else. There has been enough hatred.

I know you will make the right choice.

Please give everyone my love and thank you for caring for me all these years. I know we will meet again and until that time, I hope for your happiness. My own road calls me.

Love always,  
Sakura

Tenten cleared her throat and glanced over at Neji, propped up on the bed with pillows, his far-seeing gaze focused out the window on the sunlight filtering into the room. His bandages were visible through the open strip of his shirt and his fingers played absently with one of the free ends. She could not read his face.

She had told him of what had occured after she had left him with Shizune, everything but the humiliation she had suffered in Kakashi's store and the bitter lie she had told in retaliation. It seemed to have all come to naught, though, if the letter was true. Sakura and Sasuke had fled in search of something they both only barely understood. They were young, though, and they would be together. She hoped they found whatever it was they were looking for.

"So, she is gone then," Neji said finally, his voice low and even. Tenten folded the letter carefully and went to him, sitting daintily on the edge of his bed.

"Yes, she is," she agreed, her gaze following his out the window. "And Sasuke, too." He grunted but said nothing and she knew he was not happy with the turn of events. She reached out and brushed her hand over his. "She loves him, Neji. You can understand that."

His eyes moved to her face, his hand relaxing so that she could intertwine their fingers. "I can understand it," he answered, "but I still think it's foolish."

Tenten smiled wanly. "She knows where to find us if she changes her mind."

He breathed out quietly. "You still want to stay, even after all this."

"Just until Naruto is back on his feet." She was still smiling. "We can't have him thinking he's beaten us. After that, I might be persuaded to take a trip." His eyebrows rose and she laughed softly, leaning forward to kiss him. He pressed his palm against her cheek lightly as he tilted his head and her eyes fluttered closed, hiding tears in her lashes.

Outside their door, Lee straightened his jacket and headed down the stairs to a waiting Hinata who was fiddling with her sleeves nervously. He smiled and took her arm.

"Ready to see Naruto?"

She bit her lip. "I'm not sure h-he'll want to see m-m-me."

He patted her wrist and winked. "Don't worry! Things are changing, Hinata." His grin softened. "For the better."

She smiled hesitantly and together they stepped out into the sunlight, into the city, unafraid.

**The End. **


End file.
